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"Have an idea for a business you'd like to start? You've come to the right place. Answer a few quick questions below to get a customized to-do list for starting your business in Arkansas."

- Mark MartinArkansas Secretary of State

Startup Sweepstakes

We want to know what you think of DreamItDoItArkansas.com. Please take a quick survey to enter for a chance to attend an $800 9-week Arkansas Venture Center Pre-Launch Business Model Validation course.

About the Course

If you’ve got an idea and want to learn the building blocks of a business or are struggling with your startup, AVC’s Pre-Launch program can help. Based upon the Lean Startup principles, AVC can help you determine if your idea will prove valuable to customers and have potential for scale. This multi-week course is designed to walk you through the mechanics and nuances of building a validated business model and identifying potential technology paths to take as required. Intensive business pitch analysis and coaching within the
program will lead to a successful “launch day” pitch event at the end of the program.

The course runs for nine (9) consecutive weeks on Monday nights from 5:30 to 7:30 at the Arkansas Venture Center, starting in late September 2014.

HOW TO ENTER: The AVC Startup Sweepstakes begins 12:01 A.M. CT July 10, 2014, and ends 11:59 P.M. CT September 15, 2014. To enter online, take the survey at http://DreamItDoItArkansas.com and indicate that you want to enter to win.

WINNER SELECTION / NOTIFICATION: You may enter by submitting the survey one time. A winner will be chosen at random using RandomPicker.com. Incomplete and/or inaccurate entries and entries not complying with all rules are subject to disqualification. Winner will be notified via email, on or about September 17, 2014. Winner will receive the prize within five days of notification. Announcement that an entrant was selected will be sent only to the email address supplied on the giveaway entry survey. Each entrant is responsible for monitoring his or her email account for notification and receipt or other communications related to this giveaway.

ELIGIBILITY: Open to legal residents of the state of Arkansas who are 18 years or older at time of entry (“Entrant(s)”). Void where prohibited by law. Employees of Sponsor and its promotional partners and their respective parents, affiliates and subsidiaries, participating advertising and promotion agencies (and members of their immediate family and/or those living in the same of household of each such employee) are not eligible.

PRIZES AND APPROXIMATE RETAIL VALUE: One winner will receive admission to the Arkansas Venture Center Pre-Launch Course, which runs for nine (9) weeks each Monday starting near the end of September 2014. Approximate Retail Value for Prize: $800.00. All other expenses not specified herein are the responsibility of the Winner. All taxes and fees are the sole responsibility of the winner. The prize is awarded without warranty, express or implied, of any kind, and may not be redeemed for cash.

CONDITIONS OF PARTICIPATION: No assignment or substitution of a prize permitted, except Sponsor reserves the right to substitute prize (or prize component) for an item of equal or greater value at Sponsor’s sole discretion. Nothing in these official contest rules shall obligate Sponsor to publish or otherwise use any entry submitted in connection with this Contest. All federal, state and local laws and regulations apply. Entrants agree to be bound by the terms of these Official Rules and by the decisions of Sponsor, which are final and binding on all matters pertaining to this Contest. By entering, Entrant grants to Sponsor a non-exclusive, worldwide, royalty-free license to edit, publish, promote, republish at any time in the future and otherwise use Entrant’s submitted survey feedback, along with Entrant’s name and any other information provided by Entrant, in any and all media for possible editorial, promotional or advertising purposes, without further permission, notice or compensation (except where prohibited by law). Failure to comply may result in forfeiture of the prize and selection of an alternate winner. Return of any prize/prize notification as undeliverable may result in disqualification and selection of an alternate winner. Acceptance of the prize constitutes permission for Sponsor and its agencies to use Winner’s name and/or likeness or other materials submitted for advertising and promotional purposes without additional compensation, unless prohibited by law. By entering and/or accepting prize, Entrants and Winners agree to hold Sponsor and its promotional partners, its directors, officers, employees and assigns harmless for liability, damages or claims for injury or loss to any person or property relating to, in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, participation in this Contest, the acceptance and/or subsequent use or misuse, or condition of any of the prizes awarded, or claims based on publicity rights, defamation, or invasion or privacy. False or deceptive entries or acts will render the Entrant ineligible. Sponsor, in its sole discretion, reserves the immediate and unrestricted right to disqualify any entrant or prize winner, if either commits or has committed any act, or has been involved or becomes involved in any situation or occurrence which the Sponsor deems likely to subject the Sponsor, entrant or winner to ridicule, scandal or contempt or which reflects unfavorably upon the Sponsor in any way. If such information is discovered by Sponsor after a winner has received notice of his prize and before the prize is awarded, Sponsor may rescind the prize in its entirety. If a portion of his/her prize has already been awarded, Sponsor may withdraw the remainder of the prize that has been fulfilled. Decisions of the Sponsor are final and binding in all matters related to this paragraph. Sponsor is not responsible for any typographical or other error in the printing of the offer, administration of the contest, or in the announcement of the prize. This promotion is in no way sponsored or administered by the Arkansas Secretary of State.

INTERNET: Sponsor is not responsible for lost or late entries nor for electronic transmission errors resulting in omission, interruption, deletion, defect, delay in operations or transmission, theft or destruction or unauthorized access to or alterations of entry materials, or for technical, network, telephone equipment, electronic, computer, hardware or software malfunctions or limitations of any kind, or inaccurate transmissions of or failure to receive entry information by Sponsor or presenter on account of technical problems or traffic congestion on the Internet or at any Web site or any combination thereof. If for any reason the Internet portion of the program is not capable of running as planned, including infection by computer virus, bugs, tampering, unauthorized intervention, fraud, technical failures, or any other causes that corrupt or affect the administration, security, fairness, integrity, or proper conduct of this Contest, the Sponsor reserves the right at its sole discretion, to disqualify any individual who tampers with the entry process, and to cancel, terminate, modify or suspend the Contest. Sponsor reserves the right to select winners from eligible entries received as of the termination date. CAUTION: Any attempt by a contestant to deliberately damage any website or undermine the legitimate operation of the giveaway is a violation of criminal and civil laws and should such an attempt be made, Sponsor reserves the right to seek damages from any such contestant to the fullest extent of the law. If there is a dispute as to the identity of the Entrant, the prize will be awarded to the authorized account holder of the email address. The “authorized account holder” is defined as the natural person to whom the email address is assigned.

GOVERNING LAW: This Contest is governed by the internal laws of the state of Arkansas without regard to principles of conflict of laws. All cases and claims pertaining to this Contest must be brought in a court of competent jurisdiction in the City of Little Rock, without recourse to class action suits.

SEVERABILITY: If any provision of these Rules is found to be invalid or unenforceable by a court of competent jurisdiction or appointed arbitrator, such determination shall in no way affect the validity or enforceability of any other provision herein.

There is no time better than right now

From 1999 to 2006 I was the primary caregiver for my mom who had cancer. I realized that primary caregivers and people with disabilities were challenged to commute to work at the traditional office, and I wanted to create opportunities for them to work from home. It is in my heart to serve, to help people and small businesses succeed.

Gregory Modica

Owner/President - Government Supply Services, LLC

Describe the pivotal moment in your life when you decided to start your business.
I was inspired to own my business at an early age watching my dad, a WWII veteran, who owned his business. From 1999 – 2006 I was the primary care giver for my mom who had cancer. I realized that primary care givers and people with disabilities were challenged to commute to work at the traditional office and wanted to create opportunities for them to work from home. While attending Utah Valley University in 2008 I had to complete a business plan as a project. As I researched various business models for that project, and surveyed the market I realized that it is in my heart to serve, to help people and small businesses succeed. From that, I came up with a unique business idea, one that I became consumed with pursuing. The model had to contain pieces of IT, management, state, local and federal sales, and marketing.

How has your business changed your life?
My business has become my Christian mission in life. It has allowed me to share my challenges and obstacles in life and my methods for overcoming them, with other small business owners and would be business owners. It has allowed me to participate in the economic development of my local community and of my state by creating jobs. It’s truly an American dream.

What would you tell someone who is thinking about starting a business and needs some encouragement?
Before you start a business, make sure you have your personal house in order such as finances, credit score, cutting back on spending, paying your bills on time and surround yourself with a strong and positive support network.

When you start a business from scratch you will be faced with a number of challenges and it will difficult at times and you will want to give up and quit. There will be many uncertainties stemming from not knowing where money or help will come from and sometimes you will feel lonely but don’t give up.

Get involved and know what resources are available in your local community, Federal, and State. You will be surprised at the assistance out there to help you get started and grow your business. Get all the certifications you are eligible for. Attend Federal, State, and City sponsored training and procurement conferences and then network, network, network.

I wanted to leave something tangible for my daughter: A place where she could learn the value of work and how a business operates.

Josh Wilhelmi

Owner/General Manager - Game Goblins

I left my job in 2009 to start my own software development company. Since I wasn’t working 70+ hours a week anymore, I had something I hadn’t experienced in years: Free time. I decided to get back into Magic: The Gathering (a popular card game that’s been around for 20 years) with the goal of playing competitively. I did well in a few tournaments but never reached the level of play I wanted. During that time, however, I did discover that I had a knack for buying, selling, and trading Magic cards. With my father’s life insurance money, I invested in a sizable collection of Magic cards, and paid for my hobby. Over time, my investment grew, so the next logical step for me was opening a store. Little Rock seemed like the perfect spot, since there was not a hobby gaming store anywhere in the city. I wanted to leave something tangible for my daughter: A place where she could learn the value of work and how a business operates.

“You are never too old to set another goal or to dream another dream.”

- Fortune Cookie

“The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing.”

- Walt Disney

“It doesn’t take talent or luck to succeed. You just need to decide.”

- Marie Forleo

“Some people want it to happen, some wish it would happen, others make it happen.”

- Unknown

“The difference between who you are and who you want to be is what you do.”

- Unknown

“It’s time to start living the life you’ve imagined.”

- Henry James

“Build your own dreams, or someone else will hire you to build theirs.”

- Farrah Gray

“If people aren’t calling you crazy, you aren’t thinking big enough.”

- Richard Branson

“Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it. Because what the word needs is people who come alive.”

- Howard Thurman

“Entrepreneurship is living a few years of your life like most people won’t so that you can spend the rest of your life like most people can’t.”